Blood Brothers
by roseroro
Summary: Eren Jäger lived a rather peaceful high schooler life - until immortal beings came into play, that is. As their uncanny appeal and sharp grey eyes beg for him to get involved more than he should, he has to handle those bloodthirsty creatures and everything that comes in their wake.
1. Chapter 1: Encounter

**To my French readers: cette fiction est désormais traduite sous le nom de "Frères de Sang"~**

* * *

 _Fuck._

The beast leans in closer. Too close.

 _No._

Its face is so close to my neck, so why can't I feel it breathe?

 _Please don't._

Did it just lick me? My neck? My jugular? I can't feel anything beyond my erratic pulse.

 _I don't want to die._

Is it… humming? It sounds giddy. What the hell?

"You smell so good."

Its voice is low, threatening, and yet so… endearing, somehow.

 _Please don't kill me._

"Shhh, don't be scared, little lamb, I'll take such good care of you."

I can't move. I can't scream, my voice stays stuck in my throat.

It backs off ever so slightly, just so we can look each other in the eye.

Bright red.

Longing.

I can't even feel the tears streaming down my face. I have to escape.

 _I'm going to die._

I'm so pathetic. Worthless, aren't I?

 _He_ _smirks_. He fucking smirks.

His eyes glisten almost playfully.

"I'd toy with you so much longer, but I can smell a little someone who'll surely interrupt the fun if he can find us. So sorry, little lamb, that I can't please you further."

I don't register the words.

I'm terrified.

 _Just end it already._

As if reading my thoughts, he leans into me once more, letting his teeth scrape the side of my neck.

Is this it?

He opens his mouth wide.

And he bites.

 _Fuck._

He lets out disturbing noises. Those of contentment, of pleasure.

Who cares anyway?

I can feel myself drifting away, a warm, carnal feeling erupting in my gut.

 _I'm dying, aren't I?_

Why does it feel so…

"Let him go."

The monster lets me go instantly.

I fall to the floor, helpless.

"But Levi-" The petulant complaint becomes a murmur to me.

 _I'm falling._

"Shut the fuck up. We've talked enough about this already. Get him in the car and don't make a mess again."

I can't see who's talking.

My vision blurs, turning pitch black.

I let my consciousness go before I'm lifted by strong arms.

* * *

White shadows dance in the dark of my eyelids. I'm numb. Is this what a hangover feels like? No, all I've ever drank was a single beer on horseface's birthday. Why did I go to his party again? Ah, right, Armin dragged me there. Traitor. Wait, I really feel like shit. Let's focus on that instead.

What happened? I can't remember a thing. I was on my way back home, then... there was someone. Who was it? I can't recall their face.

More importantly, what's happening _now_? I'm so tired, I can barely move. Is it pitch black in here or are my eyes not open? I can't tell.

I can hear a voice- where is it coming from? Is anyone here? Somehow it sounds familiar. Deep... commanding... I didn't meet just one person on my way home. Someone else came. What happened?

I- I thought I was going to die. I remember the fear, the helplessness. Was it just a nightmare? Did I actually get home?

Lights flick on in the room and instantly answer my question. No, I did not get back home. The sudden brightness is reflected by light walls and burns my eyes, I close them shut. The voice is still there, but I can't make out the words. Where am I? What the fuck _happened?_

I suddenly feel a pressure on my shoulders. I don't have enough strength to panic nor open my eyes again. But the voice is getting clearer.

"...ke up."

I force my eyelids open. My vision is blurry.

A sudden, sharp tingling in my cheek brings me back to my senses.

"Awake yet?"

The voice is almost as sharp as the growing pain on the side of my face. I blink a few times, and a face I know all too well appears.

Fear instantly replaces my confusion. Memories swarm in my mind. I was attacked. I tried to cry for help, but he grabbed my throat. I thought he'd kill me, then he-

"Fucking finally. Wipe the terrified look off your face, Sleeping Beauty. I won't murder you or anything. If you're compliant, that is."

He's... not the one who attacked me. His voice is deeper, colder. His eyes aren't red. But his face- I swear that's the same face.

"Hello? Did we fry your brain or some shit? Stop freaking out. We're just gonna talk a little bit, then you can go home."

I snap out of my all-too-fresh memories and look around. I've never seen this place before. Whose room is this?

"Where..." my voice feels raspy, but at least I can talk. "Where am I? Who are you?" He can't be the monster, can he? God, please tell me he isn't.

"You're at my place and who I am doesn't matter," he says coldly. "Now sit tight and don't fucking move. Not that you'd be able to anyway. I'll be back in a minute."

With that, he gets up and leaves the room. Just as he says, I'm barely able to move, let alone try to get out of here. I decide I may as well examine my surroundings. Hopefully he won't come back with something to hurt me. I can't help but shiver at the thought of grotesque torture devices.

I'm laying on a rather large canopy bed, above navy blue sheets. Everything in the area is spotless. Is this a right time to feel bad about the state of my own room? The curtains are shut, is it still dark out? Or was I asleep for a whole day? I can't tell, whatever they're made out of, these pieces of blue cloth don't let any light through.

Asleep? Right, I fell unconscious. After that man... bit me? This man who woke me? I'm not sure. He looks similar, but- no. Other than his features, he seems like a completely different person. Not that it matters if he ends up being a freak, too. Who the fuck hunts people down at night and acts like a fucking vampire?

I'm not left enough time to ponder too deeply about the recent grim happenings. The door creaks open. The dark haired man who woke me enters, followed by-

Him.

 _It._ That thing. That _monster._

Oh god, there's no doubt about it. His eyes might be grey now, but the look inside them is the exact same. There's the same, insane glow. He still wears the smirk he had when he was tormenting me, cruel and playful all at once.

My chest tightens with panic. This isn't good. He tried to kill me. He _bit_ me.

"Hi there, duckling," he begins with a tinge of remorse in his voice. "Sorry about trying to eat you. I got a bit... _reckless_ earlier."

He offers me a wide, genuine smile. What the _fuck_? The other man stepped aside and merely watches the scene. They're both so similar, like... twins?

"But yeah," he continues, remorse gone, "since Grumpy here didn't let you die, I gotta wreck your memory a bit so you won't rat us out." He pauses, then uses a darker, more threathening tone. "Wouldn't wanna send hunters after us now, would you? I promise it won't hurt... much. I think. Never went through it and wouldn't remember it anyway so, yeah."

My train of thoughts isn't fast enough to properly process the whole situation. I still feel woozy. I close my eyes for a second. When I open them again, the man, the _beast_ is leaning right above me, staring straight into my soul.

He goes back to his wicked smirk.

* * *

 **Jesus Christ.**

 **Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think ^^ This is my first story in English so yeah - nervousness.**

 **Also don't expect chapter 2 soon because I'm trash. Love you all!**

 **Kudos to CaptainoftheRirenShip for preventing me from using squiggles in a literary work ~~  
(Yes it's the only thing I thought was worth mentioning. Love ~ )  
((Jk you helped a lot, thanks))**


	2. Chapter 2: Premise

**Hey ~ Thank you all for showing your support!**

 **Let's have a look into Eren's life. Enjoy ~**

* * *

I jolt upright to the sound of my phone ringing. The migraine that strikes me instantly shoves me back down on the bed.

I fumble around for the device and find it under my pillow just when it stops ringing. I unlock it and look at my notifications - three missed calls and a bunch of text messages. Did something happen?

Seeing what time it is answers my question; no, nothing happened. I just slept until three in the afternoon. I quickly send reassurances to Mikasa and Armin, they should be used to me missing classes by now. Then again, I didn't answer any of their calls or messages for almost a whole day.

I look around at the mess that is my room and get up on wobbly legs. It seems the more I sleep, the more tired I am. But I must've needed it if even my alarm couldn't wake me up this morning. That's what I like to tell myself, anyway.

I start the day with a trip to the bathroom and take some aspirin on my way out, I swear this headache will be the death of me. It's probably caused by lack of hydration or something, I'm only realizing now how thirsty I am.

I don't ever bother brushing my teeth or taming my hair, I won't be leaving home today it seems.

I teeter to the kitchen, absently scratching my neck. I gulp down a glass of water and let out a relieved sigh. I open the fridge in hope to find some breakfast. Thankfully, Mikasa always leaves early and makes sure there's food ready to eat in a hurry. I should thank her a bit more often, she's been my greatest - if not only - support since we've had to live alone.

Support might be an understatement, I think as I put a plate of waffles on the table.

A single glance at the room confirms my thoughts; no dirty dishes to be seen, my scattered shoes now by the door and no more socks invading the floor, spotless surfaces… a stark contrast with my own room. I start stuffing my face with her renowned waffles. How does she find the time to get up, make breakfast, clean the whole house, go to work, come back, make dinner, clean again, and sleep? She's always been quite diligent, but that's simply insane.

I quickly finish the baked delicacies and hear my phone ring again in the distance. I rush to my room, fully knowing ignoring yet another call would ultimately lead to one hell of an ass-whooping.

I answer and bring the device to my ear. My best friend's voice greets - or rather aggresses - me instantly.

" _Jesus_ , Eren!"

"Hey Armin, how's it doing?", I say cheerfully. Feigning ignorance in times of danger is one of my mastered skills.

"What do you _mean_ , 'How's it doing?'", he says, raising his voice. Guess ignorance didn't work this time. "I've been trying to get in touch all day! I was worried!"

I plop down on my bed, scratching the side of my neck. "Ah, yeah, sorry about that," I answer quite eloquently, "I slept in."

"Slept in? Until _now_? What exactly did you do after the movies yesterday? Don't tell me you-"

"Now, now, Armin," I cut in, "I didn't do anything. I was just really tired, I guess. I got home straight away." Well, did I? It's honestly kind of a blur, but what else would I have done anyway?

He sighs in a burst of static before giving in. "Fine, just make sure to let me know you're alright next time."

There's no arguing with that tone. "I will. Sorry." We let silence take over, until Blondie decides it's time to shove a stake right through my heart.

"So, uhm, we got our math tests back today. I retrieved yours, too." He waits expectantly, but I'm not planning on cooperating. Not today, not ever. He gets the message quickly enough. "You failed."

"Fuck."

"Well, you kind of had it coming so-"

"Armin!" Not that he's wrong, but he could use some tact.

"Please be more serious about this." He knows where it hurts, doesn't he? "I have to go, don't waste another day, Eren."

I let out a sigh. "I'll try not to." My words are sincere, if not satisfying.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

He hangs up before I can add anything. I look at the screen for a moment, letting everything sink in.

Not waste another day, huh?

* * *

Armin's words successfully pushed me out of bed, and here I am.

Maria's café. My favourite coffee shop. I don't actually come that often, but it's always been a safe bet whenever I need to get out of the house for a while. The coffee is good and five times less expensive than Starbucks', plus it's never too crowded.

The decoration is nice, too. Tones of red and wood, but still bright, giving it a kind of royalty vibe. Comfy seats. The place is always spotless.

I order the cheapest drink they have and walk straight to the farthest seat. I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched the whole way from my house. Hopefully some studying will get my mind off of it.

I retrieve my laptop from my bag and put it on the table. Once it's on, I make sure to turn off the WiFi - a tip from Armin, he knows I get distracted easily. I tune out the faint sound of conversations around me and force myself to concentrate.

I take a sip of my coffee, add a bunch of sugar in it, and open the document I'd like to start working on.

.

 _I want to go out._

 _Levi would be mad. But he already is._

 _Why does it have to be so bright outside? Would a parasol be suspicious? Or an anti-sun suit? I could just pretend I have one of those illnesses when you can't stand the sun! But that is also suspicious, huh? Damn hunters and their eyes everywhere._ _If I could pluck them from their sockets!_

 _Why must I always wait for sunset? So unfair._

 _Unfair, unfair, unfair…_

 _._

I end up doing less work than planned, but the very fact that I worked at all is impressive enough. Leave it to Armin to turn my guilt into something productive.

I reactivate the WiFi on my computer, time for a break. It's already rather dark out, winter weather will be the death of me. I hate the dark. The worst things always happen at night.

I tune my surroundings back in.

There are less people here than earlier. Not that this place is ever full anyway, the dark alley it's situated in prevents that from happening. I wonder if it's what the owner wanted, or if they couldn't find a better location. In any case, it makes it a perfect place for me to spend calm evenings away from home.

I get up and walk to the bar. The bartender is always the same person, and not any person either. The tallest man I've ever witnessed. He scared the hell out of me the first time I came here, but then he sniffed me and fear was replaced by pure astonishment. He actually seems like a nice guy, under his few layers of muscle and bizarreness.

I order some pastries and hot chocolate for dinner. I deserve it for being so productive.

I go back to my table and send a quick message to Armin, letting him know I followed his advice for once. I also text Mikasa to inform her I won't need any dinner tonight. A dinging sound announces a new customer, conversations are resonating through the room. I put my earphones on and start browsing Youtube.

I'm barely a minute into some random let's play when someone sits at my table, right in front of me.

A quick look around the café tells me most tables are empty. My gaze falls on the impromptu visitor, and my blood runs cold in my veins.

* * *

 **:o Who's that?**


	3. Chapter 3: Turn

His skin is porcelain white, creating a stark contrast with his raven undercut. His features are sharp and smooth all at once and his silver eyes glisten faintly behind his framed glasses. He offers me a wide smile.

"Hey there."

His voice sends a shiver down my spine. I've heard of love at first sight, but terror at first sight? I don't think I've ever seen this man before, and yet all my instincts tell me to run away from him. Why? He actually seems friendly - and he has a killer smile.

"You're pale as a vampire, what's up? I won't bite." He sounds worried, I swallow my nonsensical reaction.

"Sorry, I-I'm okay, just surprised." I force a smile on my lips and scratch the side of my neck. "My name's Eren."

"I'm Rivaille. Nice to meet you!" He falls back against his seat and starts fiddling with his cup, grin never wavering. "I was just passing by and saw a cutie through the window, so I thought I'd say hi."

My face is now conflicted between ghastly white and cherry red. He clearly isn't hostile, but my gut tells me he is. I know I don't have much experience with flirting, but being terrified of it seems a little excessive - if not completely absurd. I'm so involved in my inner conflict I forget to answer, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans instead, avoiding eye contact.

"Sorry," he begins, smile becoming more timid, "was that too straightforward? You just seemed nice, I'm not here to get in your pants or anything."

That… helps? "No, no, it's okay. It's just been a really long day, that's all." I look down at my untouched dinner, hunger now completely gone. "You can have one if you like, I won't eat all of them," I say, gesturing at my pastries.

"Oh…" He looks at the small delicacies as if they had offended him, then waves his hand in dismissal. "Nah, thanks. I've already eaten, can't ruin my summer body." Unmindful of the fact it's almost winter, he looks up to me again, taking a more hesitant tone. "You come here often?"

"Uh, not really, just sometimes." This 'Rivaille' might be a charmer with a classy name, but I don't feel safe about him knowing where to find me. His bright, piercing eyes look me up and down before he nods.

Unable to keep eye contact, I look to the side, only to catch the bartender staring at us. He quickly turns his gaze back to whatever he was doing.

If I was uncomfortable before, now I'm just getting paranoid.

"You feeling okay?" I jerk my head back to Rivaille, he looks concerned, smile finally gone.

"I - I have to go, it's getting late," I say in a rushed tone, "sorry."

I gather my things - including the pastries - and quickly walk to the entrance, not looking back at my new acquaintance.

* * *

I've never walked so fast; the trip home barely took a few minutes. I still don't get where the fear came from, but it surely feels good getting rid of it by locking the door behind me.

I take a minute to even my breathing and wipe the sweat off my forehead. I'm safe now - irrational fear begone!

"I'm home," I call out, in case Mikasa is already back. She seems to work shorter days as we near the end of the year, for some reason.

As if to prove my point, her voice echoes through the house. "Welcome home, Eren. I'll be there in a minute."

I get my shoes off and walk to the kitchen table where I can finally drop my pastries. Why did I react this way? I was finally getting some work done and I had to throw my mind back in dark places for no reason… I let out a sigh and take a seat, hunger returning.

Mikasa walks in on me spitefully stuffing my face with a donut.

"Is that your dinner?" She gives me an incredulous look. "Maybe I should've made something after all."

"Nah, I deserve it. I worked on maths today," I answer proudly. She knows how much I've been struggling recently. She pulls out a chair and sits down, facing me. She then gives me her unmistakable 'I can see through you, what's wrong?' stare. She can read me so well it's almost frightening.

She watches me take another bite before leaning back into her seat. "You don't have to tell me anything, but I think it would help. Get some things off your mind."

Well, what _would_ I tell her? ' _Well it seems meeting new, cheerful people frightens me to death nowadays! That must be why I don't get laid_.' I settle on shrugging for now. She gets the message and slowly nods, letting silence take over.

The rest of my pastries are gone in a matter of minutes. I'm in the middle of getting up when she talks again. "Why weren't you at school today? I got awfully worried when Armin called me; you usually answer your phone." Her tone is too solemn to avoid the question.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to worry either of you. I just… slept in." She scrutinizes my face in search for a lie, but whatever she finds - or doesn't find - seems to satisfy her.

I deem the conversation over and start walking to my room. Just when I get to the stairs, she adds, "Eren, I know it's hard, but please try to be more serious about this."

I keep walking, not answering.

I quickly take a shower and get ready for bed - I'm exhausted. I fall asleep the second my back comes in contact with the sheets.

* * *

 _Does he know? Does he remember? Are we in trouble?_

 _Are those my thoughts or his voice? It must be both if I hear them so clearly._

 _Words go past my lips, I don't think he knows, instinct, scared, feelings, nothing clear enough to threaten us._

 _Am I sure? No. Never am. Please go yourself. He's afraid of me. So afraid._

 _I will. I don't say that, he does._

 _He puts a hand on my shoulder. Am I okay?_

 _I don't know. Never do._

 _Hold me. He holds me. I'm sorry. Sorry, so sorry._

 _It's alright. Understand. I'm sorry._

 _You didn't mean to. I didn't mean to._

 _I'll fix it. Thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry._

 _Don't cry. I don't cry._

 _Thank you, Levi. I love you. Me too._

* * *

Sometimes I wonder why I skip classes so much; it only ever takes an asshole or two before I remember.

"Eren Jäger, to the principal's office. _Now_."

I turn on my heels and get to the dreaded office as fast as I can, I don't think I'd be able to keep my calm if I stayed near that guy. He totally deserved it.

Why am _I_ the one who gets in trouble?

I arrive in front of the door and knock; it's cracked open. There's no answer. I take a peek through the crack and see no one, so I decide to enter and wait for the principal there. I take a seat in front of his desk.

I look around, still fuming. I've been in here many times before, it seems this place and I have a mystical link, somehow. The room is tidy as always, save for some files in the centre of the desk. I glance at the clock: a quarter to four. I finish at four, so he better arrive soon and not give me detention.

I fiddle with the sleeves of my sweater, check my phone for messages, think of how I'm going to explain the situation to the big boss, and I get bored. Just how long do I have to stay here? It feels like it's been a decade already. I look at the clock again: it's only been five minutes. Dammit.

I turn my attention back to the files on the desk. Surely a tiny little peek wouldn't hurt? I might even find some kind of blackmail material on random students or even teachers.

My hand finds its way to the first file of the small pile. I open it. Unfortunately, it only contains administration stuff, nothing of use to me. The second file has a red stripe running on its side. It must be about something else, right? I take it and put the first one back in place.

I open it at a random page and read a few words - 'The Ackerman brothers'. Hey, that's Mikasa's last name! I turn the page and see a picture. The people figuring on it are too familiar for comfort. That's the guy who freaked me out yesterday, isn't it? And the other man looks just like him. Why would the principal have information on them? It can't be a school matter, can it?

I hear approaching footsteps before I can potentially find answers. I quickly put everything back into place then look behind me as if I had innocently been waiting all this time. The door opens. A tall, muscular man with blue eyes appears. He closes the door behind him and walks to the other side of the desk, facing me with his signature cold and serious expression.

"Eren Jäger."

"Mr. Smith."

I always have to repress the urge to call him by his many nicknames - Captain America, Bushbrows, or Captain handsome are only a few amongst dozens. I hold back a snort and he sits down, then puts the files aside. I take my chance.

"I swear it's not my fault, he-"

"What are you in here for, Eren? Simply state the facts, you can defend yourself later."

He watches me with his cold, usual stare. He was born for this job. I gather my thoughts and start explaining, "I was coming back to my class from the restroom, and there was another student on the way. I don't even know his name, I think he's a freshman." The mere fact of remembering his face makes me furious, I clench my fists in my lap. "He recognized me and began spitting out shit about how I'm a fucking fag and shouldn't be allowed to walk free, and it pissed me off. I told him to stop and he didn't, so I punched him straight in the face. He's at the nurse's office, most likely with a broken nose."

"I see." I look up to calculating sky blue eyes expectantly.

"I didn't mean to hurt anyone, I just-"

"I know," he cuts in, "I know you mean well and have a short temper, Eren, but I can't just let such an event go unnoticed." I deflate in my seat. "Both you and the other student will receive adequate punishment. I'll hear him out before making a decision, so please come back tomorrow as soon as your classes are over. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." At least the little dipshit won't just walk out of this.

"Good. You can leave now, please don't put yourself in more trouble, Eren. You have to be serious about this."

I nod and get up. The bell rings just as I walk out of the room.

I make my way to the classroom to get my bag and wait for Armin, who is obviously avoiding eye contact. We begin to walk in silence. He only dares to speak when we reach the exit.

"His nose isn't broken, but he's pissed. He'll try to get back at you."

I nod. Just add some trouble to the pile, no problem.

"I'm meeting with Jean, are you coming?"

God, if I have to put up with horseface on top of everything, I may as well just implode. "You know the answer to that. Have fun, I swear I won't get into more trouble." I offer him a soft smile, and he nods.

We exchange goodbyes and go our respective ways. I can't think of anything during my walk, I just want to go home.

When I arrive a street away from Maria's café, I stop in my tracks and hesitate. I could use some hot chocolate in this weather, but what if the guy is there again? What was his name, Riv- Rov- Ravioli? No, I've been through enough for today, I'll just make some cocoa at home.

I get there without a hitch and go straight to my room, giving up on the cocoa.

I sit at my desk and turn my laptop on; I have research to perform. Just what does that guy have to do with the school?

I open Chrome and type 'Ackerman brothers' in the search bar. Unfortunately, the first results seem completely irrelevant. Guess I'll waste another afternoon on it, it's not like I have anything better to do anyway.

* * *

Nothing.

Am I just really bad at this? I tried every search I could, mixing Ackerman, Rose High School and every way to write that Ravioli name I could think of. Guess I really did waste my whole afternoon.

That and Armin wants to meet up at Maria's. Why did we ever choose that place as a secret meeting base? Here's hoping I don't see any familiar face in there, I should have just refused.

Too late, I'm already there. I check the time - I'm ten minutes early, which gives me around five minutes before Armin arrives. It's already dark out, I hope he's staying on the main streets, the little mushroom can't throw a punch to save his life.

I take a step inside the café and curse under my breath. Not only is he here - the undercut is unmistakable, but I can't even ignore him if he sits right at the counter. I consider leaving, but Armin will be here soon and I can't think of an excuse to cancel when I confirmed I'd be there just a few minutes ago.

The bartender is talking with him, maybe I can just slip past, take a seat, and send Armin to order when he's here.

I take a step on my right, but all my hopes and dreams are crushed when the man throws a look over his shoulder. He notices me, and… wait. That's - is that - is that not him? The picture from principal Smith's file pops into my mind. They must be twins. Crisis averted, this one doesn't know me, right? He's still looking at me, though. I see the bartender whisper something to him, not suspicious at all, dude.

"What the fuck are you looking at, brat?"

Shit. Was I staring? I was. God, how do I handle this? I stutter some incoherences before closing my mouth shut. Way to go, Eren.

"That's what I thought. Have we met before or are you just an impolite little shit?"

"S-sorry, I just, uh," I take a second to clear my mind. "No, we've never met. You just- you look like someone I know." Obviously I couldn't just shrug it off and walk away, that would've been too smart of me.

He turns on his stool tu fully face me. "And who would that be?" I can't tell if he's mad, curious, or just toying with me. How can his face stay so neutral?

"Well, I've only talked to him once. He had a weird name, I'm not sure I remember it well." Please leave it at that. I take a glance out the window, no Armin in sight. Can't he show up and save me?

"I see." He turns back into his initial position. Thank god. I rush to the back of the place and take a seat. I nervously wait for Armin, looking in the direction of the counter once in a while. He and the bartender keep talking quietly. Does he know I met his brother? The bartender did stare at us when we were talking. Just who are those guys?

My blond friend finally arrives and walks up to me, apparently not even noticing my weird mood, which saves me the trouble of making up an excuse. I hate lying to him.

Thankfully, he agrees to go order for both of us. I watch the evil twin get up and leave, letting out a sigh of relief, the threat is finally gone. Armin comes back with my hot chocolate and a latte.

"So, I have big news, which is why we absolutely had to meet here." He's had a grin stuck to his face since he arrived, so it must be amazing news.

"I'm all ears."

He takes a big breath and looks me straight in the eye before bursting out, "I'm dating Jean."

The smile that had appeared on my lips slowly fades. "Wait, what? Jean, _the_ Jean? The horse one?"

"Yeah…" I watch the corner of his lips twitch before hastily correcting my mistake.

"That's awesome! Or, well, you know I wouldn't have chosen that guy for you but I'll just have to bear with it. I'm really happy for you, Armin."

He closes his eyes and sighs. "Thank god, I was scared you wouldn't approve of it."

"Let's say I don't, but I still do. As long as you're happy, I'm happy."

He chuckles at my solemn tone. We start chatting of this and that, and I can finally get all the troublesome thoughts out of my mind. Almost.

We spend the whole evening together. We walk out in the streets and have to part ways. After a goodbye and a 'get home safely', I take the direction of my house.

After just a few meters, I get the same feeling of being watched I've had a few times these past days. I hurry my step, I know I'm only being paranoid. Well, I knew until I heard footsteps in my trail.

Too afraid to turn around, I walk as fast as I can. Home isn't far, I'll make it. It might just be a random person going home, just like me, it can't be anyone dangerous.

Just a few streets away, I start running. The footsteps don't recede. My sweat freezes me to the bone, I can't stay in sight, I need a sharp turn, another exit.

I take a shortcut through a small street - only to see the silhouette of a man at the end of it. I stop dead in my tracks and turn around. Before I can start running again, I feel a hand gripping my shoulder.

* * *

 **Dammit Eren, you're a real trouble magnet...**

 **Don't hesitate to leave a comment, let me know what you think ^^**


	4. Chapter 4: Perturbation

"Damn brat," I mutter once out of Maria's café. I make my way to the nearest alley and take cover behind the corner, watching, waiting for my target to come out.

It is not the first time I've had to sweep after my brother's fuck-ups, and it won't be the last. I must protect him.

I remain glued to the same spot for over two hours, gaze unwavering, counting down each second to pass the time - what are two hours but a mere grain of sand in my life, anyway? The brat finally leaves the place and begins walking away. I follow. I expected the human to turn around when hearing my steps, but he began running instead. What a nuisance he is. He eventually enters a smaller, empty street. Good. Getting ahead to block his path seems to be the best option.

Giving the kid a good scare is too tempting to pass up.

Grabbing his shoulder seems to paralyse him, poor child, maybe calling him out before the chase even began would have been more compassionate.

"I just want to talk. I will not hurt you," I reassure him, letting my hand fall back to my side. My breathless target slowly turns around. His eyes are wide from fear, recognition glinting inside them when he registers my face.

"Y- you- you're-"

"Yes. Now, listen carefully," I begin, making sure my tone is low and menacing enough, "you have never seen me or anyone who resembles me. We do not exist. If you catch sight of us, you ignore it and walk away. You do not speak of us to anybody. If you ever do, you will regret it. You are going to go home and forget any of this ever happened. Is that clear?"

The teenager stares at me in shock, opening and closing his mouth, no words coming out.

"Is that fucking clear?" I snap, frightening the human out of his confusion.

"Y-yes! I- yes."

With one last threatening look, I step to the side, letting the panicked boy rush to safety. I let out a sigh. Maybe I should just kill him, but that would certainly bring its own share of complications. Hopefully the threats will be enough to keep the brat at bay.

After a few seconds of uncertainty, I nod to myself and turn the other way. Enough blood has been shed already. I can always take care of him later if he causes any trouble.

* * *

I watch my blood being slowly sucked out of my arm to fill the damn syringe. I hate it. I can feel my power and my life - if you can call it that - leaving my veins, all of it for fucking experiments that will surely condemn many of my kind down the line. Bargaining with hunters always comes at a price.

"Stop frowning, sunshine, you'll get wrinkles!" she says in her forever-cheery voice. As if I would ever get any - is she not supposed to know about the odds and ends of vampires?

"Shut the fuck up, four-eyes, and finish the job," I retort, sending her my best killer glare. "I do not want to stay near you any more than I absolutely must."

A smirk makes its way to her face, but she complies. She knows I despise needles. She finally removes the damn thing from my flesh and turns away.

I take a look around - her lab is still a fucking mess. Files scattered everywhere, vials filled with who-knows-what in every corner, torture devices, as I call them, on every surface. I scrunch up my nose at the dreadful environment, ignoring the mocking side-glance I receive.

"You haven't brought Rivaille tonight," she says, breaking the silence. Always the one to bring up sensitive matters.

"He is grounded. He had a little slip-up again." Because yes, this one was actually rather innocent.

"Little slip, huh." She gives me a suspicious stare. I hate that. My brother is no savage, but somehow everyone considers him to be the same as every feral vampire out there - mind gone, only thirst left. I swallow my anger. An outburst in a building filled to the brim with hunters is always a bad call.

"No one died, Hanji. He hasn't gone that far in a while, I think he is actually improving." And god knows that is a miracle.

"That's good news," she answers, still obviously skeptical, but she does not push further. She seems sensible enough not to make an elder creature furious, which is slightly surprising from her. She would probably get a kick out of it.

The scent of her lab is getting to me - all kinds of blood, chemicals, even garlic - it is time to set off. "I need to go, would not dream of keeping the big boss waiting."

She raises an eyebrow, but knows better than to ask questions. "Have fun, then," she says with a little smile. "See you soon, cupcake."

I frown at the name and get up. The night is far from over, I'm afraid.

I close the door behind me and begin walking down the corridor, ignoring the stares and murmurs that always accompany my presence here. Hunters can claim whatever they want, they still regard my kind with disgust, and always will. So much for shitty treaties.

I don't bother taking the elevator. I can walk to the last floor just as fast, and I do not want any kind of contact with disgusting buttons that disgusting people keep touching all day and night. I cannot suppress a shiver at the thought.

I am all the way up in no time, and a few minutes early. I enter a wide corridor. The walls are decorated with fancy paintings and a few sculptures adorn the room here and there - there is no question as to where their funds end up. Unless this is all from the boss's own wallet, which would not be surprising in the least. The only floor decorated like this is _his_ , after all.

I stop in front of his office, at the very end of the hall. I'm still early. I turn to the side and look outside the window. The only underground part of the building is a car park, and the rest is fully covered with windows, which makes vampires attacks impossible during daytime. At night, they have silver-coated blinds. This is quite the fortress, even by the hunters' standards. I have always wondered where they get so much funding from, but it is top secret information. I can't think of anything both legal and this lucrative, though.

A minute before my appointment, I knock on the door. I send a glare to the small camera in the upper corner, knowing he would be looking at it. The door opens after a few seconds.

"Levi, just in time, as always." He gives me a small smile and invites me in, but I know it's all business. There is absolutely no way he has actual emotions. I take a seat in front of his desk, crossing my arms and legs, and he sits at the other end. "It seems you have to answer for your brother's crimes again. Why haven't you brought him?"

He knows the answer, does he not? I look up at his cold blue eyes. "Don't play dumb, Smith. If he ever put a single toe on your floor, your whole little army would not hesitate to put him down. I am not risking his life."

"Then, how about we have this conversation downstairs?" His smile doesn't fade, what an asshole.

"You know what I meant. You're the problem here." We have a little stare contest, before he slowly looks down on today's file. He opens it.

"Eren Jäger, seventeen years old. A sophomore student at Rose, no less." Jäger, huh? I bite my lower lip. Of course it had to be one of his students. I swear if he tries to accuse us of conspiracy, this whole thing is going to get a lot messier. "I've seen the bite myself, although the boy didn't look too bothered about it. I suspect the illegal use of your powers, on top of the assault. What do you have to say to that?"

"Why do you even think it was Rivaille?" I do not have much hope for this one, but you never know.

"Your car was recorded on a security camera, and it seems you left with two people, one of which looks disturbingly similar to Eren." He pauses there, letting me taste defeat for a second. "You shouldn't park in front of shops when helping crime, Ackerman."

So I'm an accomplice, and it's been recorded. Fucking great. At least no one died, which makes things a lot easier. I just need to make sure he does not claim premeditation and I shall be able to bargain out of it.

"I'll repeat the question. Do you admit to have illegally used your powers on him after the assault?"

Easy one. "I do admit the use of an amnesia power on him." I stop, watching his eyes glow faintly, the happy little shit. "But only with the intent of protecting our anonymity. As the law says, making sure neither vampires or hunters are discovered comes above all else, _sir_."

His expression stays rigid, but I can feel the smallest hint of defeat radiating off of him, or maybe I'm just too snarky for his taste.. "I see."

I take my chance. "I would like to plead disability for Rivaille."

He gives me a look, clearly annoyed. I can't say I do not relish in it a little. He gives himself a moment to think about it, although we both already know his answer - he had probably planned it from the beginning, knowing him. "Of course. Are we going to skip defense and go straight to bargaining, then?"

I win. I nod and watch him close the file. He probably knew it would come to this anyway. He would not take the risk to go in vampire court - if the disability plead was accepted, it would give us much more room to manage. A simple bite is far from enough for him to take things to the next level.

"As this is far from the first time we've done this, you understand I have to raise the stakes, don't you?" He looks at me with his usual freezing stare. I am not going to like it.

"And what do you have in mind?" I fear the answer, nothing good can come out of this.

"You're going to join a patrol."

Wait. What? The fucker wants me to join them? "So your people can kill me in battle and blame a feral on it? No fucking way." I cannot take that risk.

"Levi, we've done this too many times. If you don't want your brother to be executed, you'll have to accept. Your current services aren't enough anymore."

Fuck.

"You're a good fighter, and we're recording more and more ferals, although the reason for it is unknown. We need a skilled vampire to fight with us." He stares, awaiting my answer. Ferals do cause trouble for both our sides, but I have already been helping hunters a lot - more and more with each crime from Rivaille. The treaties are supposed to make us allies… that is utter bullshit. If hunters stopped taking advantage of us, maybe I would accept without question.

But if I refuse, then…

"I know it's a difficult task, but it won't be as bad as you think." Bullshit. "Just think of your family."

The fucker knows where to aim, for sure.

"What do you say?"

I look back up at him, making sure to throw as many daggers as I can with my glare. "I'll do it."

He leans back in his seat, obviously pleased. Arrogance will be the death of him. "Good. Come back on Saturday night, everything you need to know will be explained. Be at the armoury at one a.m. sharp. Mike will be there."

He sends me away with a wave of the hand. Asshole.

I leave his office, fuming. Rivaille will not like this, and I do not either. Making a vampire into a hunter, what the fuck is that guy even thinking?

* * *

I arrive in front of the house. The walk here let me cool down, at least. Now for the tricky part: letting Rivaille know without him freaking out. I unlock the door and step inside. The good news is I can feel him here, bored, which means he listened and did not leave, for once. I get my shoes off and align them by the door, frowning at the mess he left in the living room. I have no time to clean, though, as he arrives right away.

"Hi!" He gives me a little wave, but quickly catches on on my mood, letting his smile fade. "What's up?"

"I have good news and bad news. Which first?" I take a seat on the couch, and he follows my lead. He begins thinking hard.

"Uh, well, it's obviously about the accident, but… can't it wait?" He looks at me, readjusting his glasses. "I mean, we haven't had an evening for ourselves in a while and you're clearly not busy, so I thought when you'd get home we'd do something together, like video games or something, since I bought some the other night, and I also wanted to tell you about stuff, and I know you're tired so you could get some sleep, too, and you have to help m-"

I put a finger on his lips, effectively shutting him up. I can't say I am not used to it, but his rambling quickly gets on my nerves. "Sorry, but it's important." He deflates a little. "We can do stuff after I tell you, if you are still in a good mood then."

He slowly nods, adjusting his unnecessary glasses again. "The good news first."

Good choice. "We are not going to court, and I was able to negotiate. You're out of trouble."

He launches his arms around my neck in a 'thank you' hug. He does not move an inch for a few seconds, obviously trying to avoid the rest of the conversation.

I lift my hands on his back. "As for the bad news," I feel him sigh, "Erwin raised the stakes. I wasn't able to refuse and he was clearly not changing his mind." I pause for a minute, dreading the news, even though I already know about them. "He is making me join a patrol."

We stay there in silence for a moment. Once he is done processing the information, I feel him breathe on my neck. "What?"

I slightly push him away until I'm able to look him in the eyes. "I have to go to their base on Saturday, so they can explain everything. I don't know when I'll start, but it is going to be soon."

He just stares at me as if I had grown two more heads. My hands gently trace meaningless patterns on his back, trying to soothe him.

My voice turns into a murmur. "I know you do not approve of it, neither do I, but I have no choice." He doesn't move an inch. Maybe I broke him.

He finally opens his mouth, letting out a whisper. "You'll have to kill people?"

I slowly nod. This is not the reaction I expected. "Only ferals, though. No one sane or innocent."

His eyes widen.

Wait, what did I just say?

He quickly moves away from me, I stutter some sort of apology as he leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

God fucking dammit.

I fall back on the couch, sighing heavily. Why the hell would I say something like that? He knows I've never considered him a feral, but…

I close my eyes shut, ending my train of thoughts.

Good fucking job, Levi.

* * *

 **Levi POVs give me life.**

 **So do reviews -wink-**

 **Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Next chapter _SHOULD_ arrive faster than this one ^^ **

**Big thanks to CaptainReina as always! (Check their stories out, they're good)**


	5. Chapter 5: Abduction

_Fuck my life._

Of course there has to be a psycho threatening me on top of everything else. I should've just listened to my guts and ran away the first time that creepy guy began talking to me. Today was shitty too. Why did I even bother coming to school? I knew I wouldn't be able to focus - let alone understand anything.

And if I get detention, I swear I'll punch someone _else_ in the face today.

I - once again - arrive in front of the principal's office. I knock. No answer. For a change, I enter and take a seat in front of his desk. He knew I was coming, after all, so why isn't he here?

Just like last time, there are some files on his desk. I recognize the one with the red stripe… would a little look hurt? I'm already involved with those creeps anyway - may as well get some more information.

I take the file from the pile. As I'm about to open it, I hear approaching footsteps in the distance. I freeze for a second, only to make the stupidest and most hazardous decision possible - I shove the file in my backpack.

Principal Smith enters just as I straighten my position. He doesn't seem to find it suspicious, which is a miracle. Let's hope he doesn't notice the missing file.

He nods at me in greeting and walks to the other side of his desk, then puts the files aside. I can feel a nervous sweat drop on my temple. I sweep it away. He quickly checks his phone before sitting down.

Our conversation doesn't last - I end up with a few hours of detention, and so does the other asshole. Hopefully he didn't take notice of my nervous fidgeting. What the hell am I thinking?

I'm sent away quickly enough. Unfortunately, fate doesn't seem willing to help me today.

"Jäger, wait up!"

I bite back a groan and slowly turn around. Fucking horseface invades my sight, trotting up to me. "The fuck do you want?" I ask. I've no time to deal with Jean's bullshit.

"I just wanna talk," he answers, coming to a stop right in front of me. "You know you can't just keep ignoring me." He gives me an annoyed stare, as if I were the sole reason we don't get along, and I stare right back.

"Going out with Armin doesn't mean I automatically have to like you," I retort, gaze unwavering.

"No, and I don't like you either," he says, shrugging, "but let's at least have a talk like the adults we aren't. Go wait for me behind the school. I'll go get Armin."

He turns on his hooves and leaves, not giving me the opportunity to answer. I sigh, guess I'll do it for my best friend. Why do we have to talk anyway? I already told Armin I was okay with it, and they both know a truce won't happen.

I begin walking the opposite way, to the back door, which is forbidden to students. Little do the surveillants know all of us have been through it at least one or twice - they never lock it. Still, I try my best to stay silent Everyone's already left and I'm in possession of a stolen file, after all.

The file…

I still have no idea why those Ackerman guys are in it and how they're linked to the school. Damn Jean and his poor diplomacy tactics. I was planning to run straight home and read it, but now I have to sit through an argument - because it's never a simple conversation with horseface - and deal with the fear of being caught.

Why did I even steal it? One would think death threats would have been enough to keep me from digging further. Guess I'm just plain stupid.

I finally get to the door, unnoticed, and slip outside. It leads to a small courtyard with a roofed area, away from the eyes of any authority figure, also known as the smokers' corner. Thankfully, there's no one in sight.

I look up to a sky filled with grey, menacing clouds. I hope I won't have to walk home under the rain, and because of Jean, too. I preventively move under the roof.

I don't have to wait much before I see the door being opened. Helas, it isn't horseface or Armin who comes out. Four people do, actually. They all notice me and approach, not saying a word. I'm fucked. I recognize the school nurse - mad scientist - Miss Zoe, followed by her assistant. But just the two of them wouldn't rat me out. Fate has a shitty sense of humour, doesn't it? I avoid principal Smith's stare, only to realise I also know the fourth person. The huge bartender.

I would've guessed they simply gather here on breaks, but they're all just looking at me - almost expectantly - and I don't understand why the bartender is accompanying them. Little drops of water begin falling from above. The silence is unbearable.

The principal is the one to break it.

"Eren Jäger," he begins, tone freezing me into place, "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

My breath hitches. I frantically look from one person to the other, but they seem to be waiting. I look at the door, the roof, the sky, them again. I find myself unable to utter a single word, I can feel my eyes watering. Mr. Smith catches on.

"It's alright, Eren," he says in a more gentle voice, "just come with us and we'll work something out. Those things happen."

Miss Zoe sends me a little smile. I force myself to slowly take a step forward, then another, then another.

They let me get ahead of them. I bring up my hand towards the door, but I'm not given enough time to open it. My head is yanked backwards, and I'm only able to choke on a cry before an arm closes around my throat in a strong hold. I claw at the limb, attempting to break free, unable to suck a single breath in, spots appearing in my vision, body going numb, panic settling in.

My mind drifts away.

* * *

 _I can't move._

 _I slowly crack my eyes open. I quickly register the reason for my immobility; ropes and leather straps have me tied to a metal table. I instinctively let out a scream for help, listening to its echo in the empty room, anxiously waiting for some kind of answer. Slow footsteps begin approaching._

 _My heart beats against my chest, up my throat, in my ears. Where am I? Who is coming? I close my eyes shut._

 _The footsteps stop right next to me. I don't look._

 _"Eren?"_

 _The voice is familiar - too familiar. I don't move, don't look, don't breathe. Maybe he'll leave, maybe he won't hurt me, maybe I can find a way to get out of here._

 _"It will only sting for a second. Don't be afraid."_

 _He puts his hand on my arm. My eyes fly open and find his, he's blurry, distorted, disfigured, but I know he's smiling. He always is when he brings me into this room._

 _I feel a prick on my arm, but I don't look - I know what he's doing._

 _There's a dull ache in the back of my skull, thumping in tune with my heart. Stars appear on my vision._

 _"Eren?"_

 _I shut my eyes once more, his voice echoes in my head._

 _"Wake up."_

 _I'm dizzy._

"Eren Jäger."

A sharp and sudden pain in my cheek startles me awake. I frantically look around, but I can't see anything, everything is dark. Panic settles in my stomach.

"Finally," says an unfamiliar voice, tone strangely merry, "I thought the drugs knocked you out for good! My name's Moblit. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Eren."

I let out a shaky breath. My mouth feels dry, my head still hurts, I can't move my arms or legs, and I realise I'm actually blindfolded, sitting on a chair. I hear the man moving around.

"Too bad you have to be in chains for our first meeting. Not that I personally mind, this is the setting people usually last remember me in anyway."

I swallow my fear and try to relax, metal digs in my wrists at every move.

"I have a few questions for you." He speaks gently, softly, completely ignoring the nature of the situation. I take a deep breath.

"W-what do you want?" I ask, stuttering more than I would've liked.

I hear him getting closer. "Will you truthfully answer my interrogations? It would make things much easier for both of us."

I stay silent for a moment, digging around my brain for the reason of my presence here. I faintly recall waiting for Jean, and then… then the principal came instead. The twins' faces pop into my mind. Is this about the file? About them?

"Look," he breaks my train of thoughts, keeping a level tone, "I know this situation isn't ideal, but please cooperate. Then I won't have to use messier ways to make you talk."

"Alright." I quickly spit out the word. I've no desire to know what those ways are, and I really have no idea what the deal with the twins is anyway. He'll realise that, won't he?

"Good." He sounds joyous again. "Are you the son of Grisha Jäger?"

"I - yes." I hesitate slightly. I didn't expect him to ask about my father, of all things. "Why? What do you want to know?"

"Shush," he scolds me, "I'm the one asking questions here. I'd stick to simple answers if I were you. Where is your father?"

"I don't know."

I can hear him move as he slowly approaches, until his breath touches the side of my face. His voice falls into a whisper next to my ear. "Don't even try to lie to me." The warning is clear and sends a shiver down my spine - but it was no lie.

My voice is shaking when I talk back. "I swear I have no idea. He left years ago, and I haven't seen him since. If it's him you want, I can't help."

He walks back a few steps, which I'm very thankful for. He shifts to a nicer tone again. "What do you know about his research?"

"He - he was a surgeon, well respected. He never let me in his office, I don't know what he was researching-"

"I said don't lie." His voice freezes me into place - he sounds mad. I wasn't lying, not entirely. "Listen, I know for sure he involved you in a project. If you won't tell me about it, then I'll have to get mean. We wouldn't want that, would we?"

I hear the clinking of metal. I swallow the lump in my throat before answering. "I swear I don't know what you're talking about."

Silence fills the room. I focus on my breathing, trying not to fall into panic. The darkness is getting on my nerves. If only I could take a peek - make sure he isn't choosing a blade to strike me with, take a look at my surroundings, search for a way out of here.

But I see nothing but random shades dancing in my eyelids, hear nothing but the blood flowing through my veins, feel nothing but the sweat building on my palms.

Then he breaks the silence. "Why did you steal the file?"

I let out a sigh - of relief, of apprehension. "I was just curious," I say softly, "it seemed confidential, so I tried to take a look. But then I heard someone coming, and I panicked. I didn't plan on stealing it."

"So you didn't know what it is about? And you want me to believe that?" I suppress a shiver. Deadly threats in the dark of an alleyway echo into my mind. If I say anything, the twin will kill me. If I don't, this guy will beat it out of me.

"Please," I beg, surrendering to fear, "I swear I had no idea. I didn't think it was important. I didn't even have time to read anything!"

"Alright." The word sends me a thin thread of hope to hold onto. Then it snaps. "I'll tell you the truth. You knew exactly what was in the file, because you're linked to certain people of interest. Two of them. Do you see where I'm getting at?"

"I - I'm not - I don't-"

"Don't even dare to play dumb. You don't want this to get nasty." More metallic sounds illustrate his claim. I'm getting dizzy again.

"Look," I desperately try, "I'm not involved in anything with them, I'm just-"

"Them? Could you be a little more precise?"

Shit. I scrape my mind for an explanation, an excuse, _something_. But I find none. I tug on the chains around my wrists and ankles, letting them dig further into my skin.

He walks up to me again. Except this time, he swiftly brings a blade to my cheek.

He lets it cut slightly, drawing a single drop of blood.

"Come on," he commands impatiently, "I was told not to make it too messy, and I hate disobeying orders."

I take in a shallow breath, failing to keep my voice steady. "I - it was an accident. I don't know who they are - I swear I don't know anything-"

"Don't make me laugh," he insists, putting more pressure on the blade, "the Jäger offspring, claiming he met the Ackermans by chance, then stole a confidential file by mere curiosity? Forgive me if I suspect a hint of dishonesty."

He lets the words sink in. Suddenly, he takes the blade away from my face, only to violently stab it into the chair I'm in, millimeters from my ear.

"Tell me what your father did to you before I shove this inside your flesh-"

Three quick knocks interrupt his threat. We freeze for a second, catching our breaths, expectant. Three more knocks, and he backs away slowly.

"Yes?" His voice is surprisingly steady, all anger and menace gone. A door opens. A familiar voice tunes in, but I'm unable to focus on it. My mind is fuzzy, spinning.

"Moblit! Sorry to interrupt your little game, but I need you at the lab ASAP. You need to see this, the boy's fascinating."

"I'll be there in a moment."

Hinges creak slightly, the door closes.

"Stay put. I'll be back."

I listen to his receding footsteps, too tired to feel relieved. I relax as best as I can.

It's not long before I fall unconscious.

* * *

 **Huge shout-out to captainriren on DeviantArt for the new cover!**


	6. Chapter 6: Guilt

_I keep running down the hallway, not knowing what to look for, bracing myself for another attack. The silence is unbearable. These apartments are long abandoned, left to crumble, given to the dark hold of this town._

 _I reach an intersection, stopping flat on my feet when noise makes itself heard. A cry, an infant? North from here, it seems, so I take my turn. I advance through the long corridor in look for its source. After passing a few doors, the radio I'm carrying begins emitting static. Blunt weapon at the ready, I slow my approach._

 _Ahead, the path is blocked by metal bars. The static gets louder. I keep walking._

 _A red glow appears behind the barricade, taking shape, a silhouette, twitching. Staring. I reach the obstruction and take a good look at it._

"Dude that's Pyramid Head!" Rivaille blurts out, leaning onto me on the couch. "He's like, the big bad guy, and he's so cool!"

I wish I had a gun to show that fucker who's boss. "I know, I've seen the movie."

"Ew."

Was it such a bad movie? I shrug it off and retreat into the nearest room. Quite the sight greets me as I pass the doorway: a trail of blood leading to a chair, in which a corpse lies, turned to the static of a television. Rivaille watches my progression attentively, even though he claims to be too afraid to play himself. Who knew images on a screen could one day scare even the scariest of creatures?

He uses his fear as an excuse for his uncharacteristic silence, which sends pings of worry through my spine. He knows I don't believe him - why lie?

I find a key in the room, but I pause the game, turning to my brother. He doesn't question me and settles for leaving my shoulder, letting himself fall onto the backrest. I put the controller down.

I itch to ask him the reason for his sour mood, taking a moment to reflect on how to address it. Censoring my words in his presence feels foreign and unnatural, but I ought to be mindful after the other night's slip. He's been thinking a lot. Deep thoughts that constantly scrape at the back of his mind, making him hesitant and vulnerable, forcing him to face himself. Thoughts kept buried for decades - what freed them?

My eyes fall to his neck where a black ribbon is tied into a bow. I slowly reach for the lacy ends and pull. It comes undone easily.

I let it fall between us, uncovering two dark spots on his porcelain skin. I bring a hand up and let the tips of my fingers graze over them; a feather-light touch, steady and careful. Rivaille closes his eyes, letting out a sigh. The small puncture marks seem to burn under my inspection, unerasable mementos of his rebirth, scars to remember his demise, his dark fate, never failing to make my chest tighten.

"You can talk to me," I whisper, afraid to break the silence, afraid of the horrors that plague his mind.

Afraid of the guilt I can feel settling in the pit of my stomach.

My hand creeps up to his silk locks, prompting him to look at me. He does so - albeit hesitantly. Words leave my lips before I'm able to stop them, "I'm sorry."

His eyes widen slightly and he shakes his head, refusing the meaning of them. He's right - lament won't change a thing - but I can't find any other way of dealing with it all. The phantom taste of flesh invades my mouth.

Rivaille reacts to my distress instantly, grabbing my hand and getting up from the couch. He pulls me to my bedroom and onto my bed. He then goes over to my old radio set and blasts some random music at high volume in a much-needed distraction.

"Focus on that and sing along," he quickly orders, "I'll get you a snack."

Like hell I'd sing along, but I nod anyway. I let my mind pulse at the rhythm of the song, drowning the unhealthy thoughts that threaten to take it over.

The faint buzz of the microwave comes through, followed by a familiar smell - too familiar, because of me. I try to shut down my heightened senses.

I can't, so I focus on the smell.

The scent that makes my throat dry, my teeth ache, my eyes blur, my blood pump, the smell that makes me feel a little more alive, a little more real, a little more beast. My canines start prodding at my tongue, threatening to pierce the soft flesh. I wouldn't mind the pain.

The door opens and Rivaille lets himself in, carrying my favourite mug. He got it for my birthday - which one? I don't know anymore. 'Blood of my enemies' is written on it in bold, fancy letters.

The bed dips as he takes a seat beside me and hands me the mug, which I gladly accept. The sudden warmth against my palms is enough to calm my nerves. I take a first, most pleasurable sip before offering him one. He looks at me disapprovingly but gives in anyway, scowling at the bitter taste. I got used to it, although we've known better. Beef is far from the worst, too.

I retrieve my drink and notice a now purple ribbon around Rivaille's neck, matching his oversized sweater. Anything is better than black.

"You didn't sing," he pouts, feigning disappointment. I roll my eyes and gulp down the rest of my snack, unable to savor it anymore.

The warmth is fickle and short-lived but welcome nonetheless, sending a dull shiver down my spine and forcing a quick sigh out of my lips. I let my eyelids drop. My eyes and tongue are burning, my teeth tingling, my throat drying fast. There's never enough, never good enough.

"It's okay, about the other night," Rivaille whispers, loud in the silence. I nod, keeping my eyes shut and breathing deeply in an attempt to chase the crimson thoughts away. "I know what you meant, I was just on edge."

I itch to apologize once more but contain myself; it's no use stirring the matter further. I finally open my eyes and look at him, engraving a thousandth picture of his smile in the back of my mind. My next thought slips past my lips, "You're doing better. We'll get you all fixed up."

His face breaks into a wide grin, wrinkles appearing in the corners of his eyes, and he swiftly bends towards me to place a light kiss on my temple. He leans back and starts bouncing slightly. "Can we go for a walk?" he asks, all too eager to finally be allowed outside. I barely begin nodding before he jumps off the bed and hurries to his own room.

I'm glad he's cheerful again.

I rise to unsteady feet and slip on some proper pants before heading to the front door to wait for him. I try to guess what kind of outfit he'll choose; his sense of fashion is full of surprises, if controversial. I sort of expect him to come out in his bright yellow dress, then I remember he's not _that_ ludicrous, just a bit peculiar on the edges.

I look up when he invades my peripheral vision and my eyes quickly find his neck - green ribbon, good. The strain in my shoulders loosens and I scan him over. Light blue parka, dark slim jeans, black biker boots. Nothing extravagant, to the bane of my amusement.

He brushes past me to open the door and trots outside. I follow him, making sure to lock the door behind me, and we begin walking in silence.

I keep an eye on the sidewalk to make sure I don't step in anything filthy. I hate this place. Street lights flicker above our heads, trash bags are scattered around in every corner, silhouettes retreat into the shadows when you get too close, unidentified fluids coat the pavement. We could buy a real house, a mansion, an island, but we'd be found. Rivaille would be found. So it's alright, we can live here as long as it keeps him safe.

The houses get more scarce as he leads the way to a path entering the woods. The night is quieter than usual, leaves shuddering under the chilly wind being the only sound other than our footsteps.

I thought he'd want to talk.

I send what I believe to be discreet side-glances his way, trying to decipher his expression, but it is to no avail. Not being able to read his inner cogitation feels odd, but I don't ask - he'll tell me if I have to know.

"Why aren't you wearing a jacket?" he asks, breaking the silence. I give him a look.

"Why are you? It's not as if we could get cold."

He offers a small smile, "Aren't you the one always insisting we blend in? ' _Rivaille, stop wearing such eye-catching clothes', 'Rivaille, don't forget to wear your color contacts again', 'Riv-'_ "

I stop his childish imitation of my precious advice with a stern voice, "I'm fine, no one will think I suck blood just because I don't wear a jacket in winter." The curl of his lips turns mischevious.

"' _Rivaille, the point is that it catches people's attention, not tha-'_ "

"Yeah well, there's no one in the forest at this hour."

He snorts and I put my hood on to ban him from my sight. Damn brat.

We keep walking, dead leaves crackling under our boots, moonlight filtering through the almost bare branches, wildlife howling in the distance. I like the cold. The sun spends less and less time up, letting the moon take over, urging people to their homes, leaving us masters in the longer nights.

Giving ferals full reign over the streets; I'll have to fight them soon.

Leaving Rivaille alone after dusk has never been pleasant, and I'll have to do exactly that more often than not depending on the schedule the hunters give me. He might have been improving his control of himself, but the risks are still high. Chains and locks and silver try to invade my mind, but I quickly eliminate those thoughts. Rivaille isn't an animal, and he's not insane - not really. It's my fault his mind is ill and my responsibility to do what it takes to help him.

"I don't want you to go," he says, his voice making me jump slightly. Has he been reading my mind?

"I know, but I have to." I don't want to either.

"I don't know if I can do it."

I turn to him, stopping our progress. Shadows dance over his eyes, is it just the moonlight drawing these patterns? I want to tell him I trust him, but I don't, not for this. I want to reassure him, tell him I'll stay, tell him I won't slaughter these creatures, take him into my arms, but I can't. I can't lie to him. I could never.

So I don't.

"I don't know how long they expect me to work for them, but I'll have to stay as long as they decide," I begin, already sensing his disappointment. "I'm sorry. I know it will be hard on you, and I know how much worse it can get when you're alone, but you'll have to stay strong." I stare into his eyes, unblinking, waiting for some kind of understanding.

"What if I kill people?"

"Rivaille, it's been years since-"

"What if I do?"

I stay silent for a moment, taking in the expectation on his face.

How am I supposed to answer this?

"Then," I start, voice unsteady, "we'll get through it together, as we always have. If they find out, we'll leave and-"

"And start over? Live in another dump until I lose control _again_?"

His bitter tone freezes me into place. He's unhappy. I made him upset. I need to fix it. How? I scrape at the corners of my mind for an explanation, a soothing sentence, a happy end. I find nothing. My fist clenches, nails digging in my palm. I'm supposed to help him. I'm supposed to keep him happy and I can't - I couldn't. I never can-

"Levi?"

My train of thought stops abruptly. I need to find something to say, anything to make him better.

"Levi, I'm sorry."

His careful tone allows my eyes to focus again, and I feel his hand unclenching my fingers, getting soiled in my blood. I didn't feel the skin break.

"I shouldn't have said that. I'll do my best."

His voice is a whisper, but it echoes loudly in my head nonetheless. I should be the one apologizing.

"Are you alright?"

I look back up at him and nod. Then the words come to me. "If you do kill someone, I'll protect you. We'll buy a whole island in the middle of the Pacific and we'll have all the time in the world to make you all better."

His smile comes back, frail but present. "I want a swing in the garden."

"We'll have two."

"And a bunny."

"Dozens of them."

He lets out a small giggle, my whole body relaxing instantly. Then, his eyes turn somber again. "Eren tasted different."

I take a moment to process the words. "What?"

"Eren, the guy I bit. He tasted weird."

I fail to connect the fact to our conversation, so I wait for him to continue.

"That's why I bit him. I swear I was doing good, but then I noticed him, and I couldn't control it with the smell he had."

Oh. "How was he different?" I quickly mourn our bunnies and swings, mind back on track.

"His blood had power in it, but he was human."

"That doesn't make sens-"

"It's the truth."

I shut my mouth and nod, still not understanding the meaning behind his words. Humans don't have power. "I didn't notice when I met him. Are you sure of what you're saying?"

"I am." His look is solemn, no traces of lies in his eyes. "Levi, you know you're rusted. I notice things you don't."

He has a point, though he could've been smoother about it. I reflect on his words, not finding a convenient development to the situation. "We can't do anything about it, we're in enough trouble."

"I know. It's because you think I lost control, but it wasn't like the other times."

"Oh. It's alright, I didn't think ill of it."

"Not about me, at least."

I don't answer, knowing well what he's saying. "Okay. Can we go back to the bunny part?"

He smirks and hits me on the arm; as if he had enough strength to hurt me.

Well, it does hurt, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Did you know bunnies don't have pads on their feet? It's all fluff!"

We resume walking, back towards the house, as he recites all the bunny facts he's aware of. The path seems much shorter this time, lacking the tension and guilt from earlier, instead filled with Rivaille's chatter. I listen intently, memorizing every bit of information.

He doesn't even notice when we reach the doorstep, now focused on telling me all about species of birds and how cute they are. He jumps a little when I put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. We enter in silence.

A question arises in my mind, one I'm always afraid to voice. I gather the courage to do so.

"Will you change your ribbon?"

He looks up at me with a smile in his eyes, only matched by the one tugging at his lips. "Yellow," he says.

The sole word is enough to make the corners of my mouth curl up.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, don't hesitate to let me know what you thought of the chapter! ^^**


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